BBC High IQ link to being vegetarian

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BBC DAILY E-MAIL: UK EDITION

Friday, 15 December, 2006, 9:00 GMT 01:00 -08:00:US/Pacific

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/health/6180753.stm

High IQ link to being vegetarian

Intelligent children are more likely to become

vegetarians later in life, a study says.

 

A Southampton University team found those who

were vegetarian by 30 had recorded five IQ points

more on average at the age of 10.

 

Researchers said it could explain why people

with higher IQ were healthier as a vegetarian

diet was linked to lower heart disease and

obesity rates.

 

The study of 8,179 was reported in the British Medical Journal.

 

Twenty years after the IQ tests were carried out

in 1970, 366 of the participants said they were

vegetarian - although more than 100 reported

eating either fish or chicken.

 

Men who were vegetarian had an IQ score of 106,

compared with 101 for non-vegetarians; while

female vegetarians averaged 104, compared with 99

for non-vegetarians.

 

There was no difference in IQ score between

strict vegetarians and those who said they were

vegetarian but who reported eating fish or

chicken.

 

Researchers said the findings were partly

related to better education and higher

occupational social class, but it remained

statistically significant after adjusting for

these factors.

 

Vegetarians were more likely to be female, to be

of higher occupational social class and to have

higher academic or vocational qualifications than

non-vegetarians.

 

However, these differences were not reflected in

their annual income, which was similar to that of

non-vegetarians.

 

Lead researcher Catharine Gale said: " The

finding that children with greater intelligence

are more likely to report being vegetarian as

adults, together with the evidence on the

potential benefits of a vegetarian diet on heart

health, may help to explain why higher IQ in

childhood or adolescence is linked with a reduced

risk of coronary heart disease in adult life. "

 

Intelligence

 

However, she added the link may be merely an

example of many other lifestyle preferences that

might be expected to vary with intelligence, such

as choice of newspaper, but which may or may not

have implications for health.

 

Liz O'Neill, of the Vegetarian Society, said:

" We've always known that vegetarianism is an

intelligent, compassionate choice benefiting

animals, people and the environment.

 

" Now we've got the scientific evidence to prove

it. Maybe that explains why many meat-reducers

are keen to call themselves vegetarians when even

they must know that vegetarians don't eat

chicken, turkey or fish. "

 

But Dr Frankie Phillips, of the British Dietetic

Association, said: " It is like the chicken and

the egg. Do people become vegetarian because they

have a very high IQ or is it just that they tend

to be more aware of health issues? "

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6180753.stm

 

Published: 2006/12/15 00:15:39 GMT

 

© BBC MMVI

 

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